Joe Beleznay wants to be the ball PREV / 3 of 4 / NEXT t really want something and somebody is like doing more for it than you are. And you just feel like you aren't doing enough? I'm a little stale and I need to just get back on the horse. Bill: Do you think you will be starting up a tour or anything like that? Joe: We really just have to start piggybacking, opening up for somebody, getting in on the inside. Work your fingers on in there... Stewart: Wait--are we still talking about touring? [Laughter] Joe: We're really just trying out the local scene, as we've been doing for about a year and a half, just trying to be realistic about everything and understand that it's a lengthy process that may never have a payoff but you just have to keep doing it cause you enjoy it. Bill: Right Joe: There are times when it's a job. Bill: So let me ask you--your lyrics often center on the personal, on experience. Do any of them arise out of your childhood? Joe: Oh, moving around... Bill: Yea, does that play a part? Joe: It probably does subconsciously. Just like they say you'll become like your parents or meet a girl like your parents. It eventually becomes true. I broke up with my mom two years ago... [Laughter] Joe: But there are recurring themes in my songs--of how there's this urgency. Like if you listen to "Through the Night" there's one chance for the night--and about not capturing the best years of your life but wasting away. Like everybody wants to--it's about New Years Eve actually. Like, me and my friends used to talk about how when the ball drops, you just want to be on the ball. The lyrics used to be when the lights go out, "I want to be the ball." But it didn't make any sense but to me it made sense and to my friends. Its kinda like you wanna be the nucleus of everything cool happening in that moment. There are a lot of those themes--not capturing the moment. Bill: So you talk about this sense of urgency. In this Post-9/11 world, do you ever think about including more social or political lyrics? Joe: I'm not extremely political. I guess what I write just kinda comes out- its usually situational or emotional. I guess I did get involved in the election a little bit. I actually voted for the first time in my life. And I lost. No, we lost. I say "we lost" as a country. Stewart: You voted in Connecticut I assume. Joe: Yea. I mean, Connecticut won but you know, that's one of those feelings because its like, your vote doesn't count. But politically and socially--I used to listen to a lot of Rage Against the Machine. I actually met them. I waited overnight at the Virgin MegaStore in New York. Bill: Oh, I was there! Joe: Really? We were actually the first ones in line. I went in at 11 the night before and we waited from 11 to 8 am. That was really cool. I was more aware--as every white kid that liked Rage was, like " Yea, Mao Tse Dung--lets go Che." But really a lot of them just wanna jump around and punch each other in the head-- but they were amazing. But lately, I haven't been really attached to politics other than the election. And I should but its just one of those things--you get lazy... People die in a tidal wave and I read the Yahoo news. Bill: What do you think about the Election? Joe: Its kinda like I kn PREV / 3 of 4 / NEXT